1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for drying and curling hair through the alternate use of microwave and electric heating sources and to a method for using such devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hair curlers are known for use in drying and curling hair and have been provided in a variety of configurations. Generally, the prior art curlers have comprised molded cylinders or spools of microwave transmissive materials such as plastic, which were heated by steam or hot water or which had hollow cores which were fitted around electrically heated rods. Other prior art electrically heated curlers were formed as flexible, rod-like bodies which could be bent over themselves to retain a hair tress wound thereon. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,462, issued Apr. 22, 1986, to Morrison. The known electrically heated hair curlers required a lengthy pre-heating time before reaching operating temperatures and failed to hold heat efficiently.
Other prior art hair curlers were comprised of molded synthetic compositions which included microwave absorptive materials, such as ferrite, so that such compositions were microwave actuable. However, the known microwaveable curlers were sealed at both ends, making them unsuitable for use in the existing electric heating units. Also the known prior art designs were complicated, containing internal sleeves, heat sink materials, wicking materials, and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair curler which is rapidly heated to operating temperatures in a microwave oven but which is also heatable in existing electrical heating units.
Another object of the invention is to provide a microwaveable hair curler which is alternately heatable by an electrical source and which has superior heat loss characteristics to the prior art electrically heated hair curlers.
Additional objects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description which follows.